Vapor electric lamp and connection.



P. G. HEWITT. VAPOR ELECTRIC LAMP AND CONNECTION. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 19. lbos.

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PETER COOPER HEUITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VAPOR. ELECTRI [C LAMP AND CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan-16, 1912.

To all whom it ma'y concern:

Be it knownv that I, PETER (loornn HEWITT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Electric Lamps and Connections, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an elec trical apparatus in which a suitable gas or vapor inclo sed in a transparent container is made luminous by the passage of electric current. The type of apparatus illustrated is adapted for various uses, and the novel features of the said device \vill'be explained in the specification and fully set forth in the claims.

The illustrations, Figures 1 and 2, show similar types of electrical apparatus of this sort, the main difference appearing in the electrical connections for the lamp.

The container consists of a tube, 1, of glass or other transparent material, provided with electrodes, 2, 3, and 41:. The electrode 2 is here shown as a body of solid conducting material such as iron, while the electrodes 3 and 4 appear as small masses of mercury. Any suitable materials may be substituted for those named.

The electrodes 2 and 4 are mounted at the opposite ends of the tube 1, and the electrode 3 is contained in 'a small pocket, 5,

the quantity of current passing throng 'the said lower half being approxlmately' formed on the container 1 about midway of its length. The device is provided With a chamber 6 atthe top serving as a cooling or condensing chamber whereby the vapors formed in the operation of the lamp are condensed and the general capacity of the device for radiating heat is increased.

' In Fig. 1, the'electrodes 2 and 3 are connected with the positive side of an electric circuit and the electrode 4 with thenegative side. In Fig. 2, the electrode 2 is positive and the electrodes 3 and 4 are negative.

I ma y inter-pose suitable resistances or inductance devices, '7 and 8, in the wires leading to the electrodes, as may be desired or required for diii'erent uses of the apparatus and for steadying theoperation thereof.

In the lamp illustrated in Fig. 1, it is found that the vapor in the lower part of the lamp is denser than in the upper part,

double that passing through the upper half. The apparatus may be used in testing the operations which take place in'an inclosed gas or vapor carrying electric current, or it may be utilized for producing different effects in difier'ent parts of a single inclosing chamber.

Fig. 2 is made use of simply to illustrate a difierent set of connections for the electrodes, and it will be understood that these connections may be still further'varied to suit difierent requirements, at the Will of the operator.

In operating this lamp. the mercury which is condensed in the chamber 6 is redistributed for condensation, passing down the tube into the pocket 5 and overflowing from and there ire-constructing the electrode 4.

' This is found to be a valuable feature of the lamp and is one ofthe features constituting the present invention. For lighting these tubes applicant uses the ordinary direct current supply systems at from 100 to 200 volts, the tube being started by an instantaneous wave of high potential, generated by a lVehnelt interrupter or any convenient appliance. Although in starting up a higher voltage than normal is sometimes used to start the discharge through the tube, the tubes can be put in operation without having recourse to high starting voltages.

The devices of the present invention possess the quality of negative electrode or initial reluctance to the flow of current.

I claim as my lnventionz 1. A. vapor electricdevlce comprising a vertical tubular portion, a condensing chamber at the top thereof inclosing a solid anode, a vaporizable cathode at the bottom thereof and a pocket intermediate of said tubular portion'adapted to contain vaporizable material and thus act as an electrode and so disposed as to receive vaporizable material condensed in the said condensing chamber and to discharge any excess of vaporizable material to the said cathode.

2. A gas or vapor electric apparatus comprising a tubular portion, a plurality of vaporizable electrodes, a solid anode located at the top of said tubular portion, a conh' densing chamber around said anode and means for returning condensed vaporizable material from electrode to electrode by steps through the length of said tubular portion. v 3. A gas .or vapor electric apparatus,'c0mprising a vertically disposed tubular por-' tion, a solid anode therein located near the top thereof, a vaporizable cathode therein located near the bottom, together with an intermediate electrode located in a lateral extension of the said tubular portion.

4:. A gas or vapor electric apparatus, comprising a vertically disposed tubular por-.

' tion, a solid anode therein located near the top thereof, a vaporizable cathode therein located near the bottom, together with an intermediate electrode located in a lateral extension of the said tubular portion, and

means for connecting said intermediate electrode to the said 'anode through a resistance.

5. A g'as or vapor electric apparatus, comprising a vertically disposed tubular portion, a solid anodevtherein located near the top thereof, a vaporizable cathode therein located near the bottom, together with an intermediate electrode located in a lateral means for connecting the intermediate electrodew ith one of the first named electrodes. I

6. A gas or vapor electric apparatus, comprising a suitable container, an anode and a vaporizable reconstructing cathode therein,

named anode and cathode,said second anode; 1

being connected through a resistance with the lead of said first named anode. I

Signed at New Y rk, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 17th day of March, A. D. 1903. v

' PETER eoornn HEWITT. Witnesses extension of the said tubular portion; and

WM. H. UAenL,

N GEoRonH. brocnnnmon; 

